Camera

A camera this good will have you reconsidering tablets as legitimate photo-taking hardware

Using a camera on a tablet can feel like the mobile-photography equivalent of wearing socks with sandals, but just because it can be a little socially awkward doesn't mean it's not a useful feature to have – nor an area where it necessarily makes sense to skimp on hardware. And if you're of the better-off-being-prepared mentality, you'll be pleased to know that the latest iPad Pros have some exceptional camera components.

Apple gives this tablet a 12MP main camera with an f/1.8 aperture and optical stabilization – and if that package sounds familiar, it should, because it's the same setup we saw (and loved) on the iPhone 7. That phone (to say nothing of the dual-camera iPhone 7 Plus) offered an utterly fantastic image-taking experience; are we in for more of the same here? Let's take a look.

Camera interface

Image quality

Here's the weird thing about taking pictures with the 10.5-inch iPad Pro, its preposterous tablet size be damned: it's a lot of fun. Sure, it can be more than a bit unwieldy, and especially when you're dealing with a device this large, it's a bit weird to have the camera so tucked away in one corner, rather than in a more natural-feeling centered spot on the tablet's back, but there's a legitimate appeal to having a gargantuan viewfinder to work with: it just makes framing your shots and anticipating how they're going to turn out a bit easier.

And for the record, yes, they turn out great. Sure, there's no future where we see ourselves ditching our smartphones and their extremely capable cameras to rely primarily on a tablet, but when the 10.5-inch iPad Pro is all you have on hand, you've got no excuse not to be capturing some utterly beautiful shots.

Much of our same comments about the iPhone 7's camera apply here, and particularly, if you're used to super-saturated, high-contrast pics, there's a risk you'll interpret the iPad's camera output as slightly washed-out. Really, though, we don't think that's the case, and the camera here does do an admirable job of reflecting the real-world makeup of a scene, rather than to over-gloss it with heavy-handed processing. Also like the iPhone, the auto-HDR mode does a good job at salvaging otherwise complicated exposures, but the tablet's software is quite conservative in how it's deployed, saving its effects for when they matter post.

Video recording

As is the case for still-image photography on the 10.5-inch iPad Pro, your experience here is largely going to mirror what you get on an iPhone. We say “largely,” but there really is some divergence with video that's much less true with stills.

As far as what the iPad can capture, you've got your popular shooting modes covered: 4K, 1080p, and even a 60fps mode for the latter – which looks beautiful on the iPad's ProMotion display.

But there is a pronounced difference here and it's a negative one: the iPad isn't great when it comes to recording audio for your videos. That's a shame because they look really great, but the sound has a really far-away, muddled quality to it, almost like what you think things would sound like if you were recording underwater. We don't know if overly-aggressive noise-cancellation is to blame, or just the placement of the tablet's microphones, but it's a real disappointment compared to everything else this camera package delivers.

Apple iPad Pro 10.5 Sample Videos

Apple iPad Pro 10.5 Sample Videos

1. Apple iPad Pro 10.5 4K Sample Video

2. Apple iPad Pro 10.5 1080p Sample Video

3. Apple iPad Pro 10.5 1080p 60fps Sample Video

4. Apple iPad Pro 10.5 720p Sample Video

Multimedia

With speakers this rich and pleasing, you can feel confident leaving your headphones at home

OK, we know the tablet has “Pro” in its name, and between the stylus and keyboard accessories available, is well equipped to handle all variety of serious, laptop-replacing business tasks. That's well and good, but sometimes you need to kick back with a little Netflix, or get caught up on the latest movie trailers – and if that's the afternoon you've got planned, the 10.5-inch iPad Pro is nicely outfitted to entertain.

We've already spent some time talking about the beautiful screen on this tablet, but it's worth reiterating here: colors are accurately reproduced, screen brightness is as good as you'll find on some of the best phones out there, and between the ProMotion display and the heavy-duty GPU on the new A10X chip, this iPad is armed to display some really, really great-looking video.

The only downside there, and it's a small one, is the 3:2 aspect ratio of the tablet's screen, in a world where the vast majority of content being consumed is 16:9 widescreen. That's no huge problem, but it does make the iPad slightly less than ideal for video-watching. Then again, this is an issue that's existed since the dawn of Apple's tablet's existence – but just because it's familiar doesn't mean it's not worth mentioning.

But this is all dancing around the big draw of consuming media on the iPad Pro: its speakers. The quad-speaker layout we were introduced to with the original iPad Pro is back, and it still sounds nothing short of phenomenal.

Beyond those four speakers always making sure that there's audio piping-out at the ideal angle for listening, they deliver some frequency coverage that sounds more in line with a dedicated stereo system than what you're used to expecting from a compact mobile device – and particularly, that comes though in the form of some really earthy, aurally satisfying bass reproduction.

And even if you need a little discretion in your audio consumption, the iPad Pro has you covered with a good-old analog headphone jack; Apple's efforts to re-write your expectations when it comes to headphone support haven't yet corrupted the company's tablet lineup.

You are dummy fanboy. How is the best tablet on the market? With useless OS? Even PA give con: "Even with split-screen, iOS doesn't feel optimized for tablets".
What you will do on that expensive $hit? With "nice" bezels?
Buy yourself Surface and at least you will have working OS.
Buy huge hump iPhone 8 or X or whatever.
Because it is Apple product.

And second of all, I knew some genius would mention the Surface Pro 4 without realising that it's running a desktop OS on desktop-grade hardware. It's essentially a laptop that can act as a tablet to some extent, thereby a hybrid. So it's not a direct rival to the iPad Pro which is a mobile device.

Technically, you can compare anything; the brain makes it possible. But our sense tells that it would be stupid to declare one as a rival of the second when both are based on different platforms. Just having the same price doesn't mean they both are direct rivals when looking at them overall. However, if one looks at specific things such as screen:body, then your statement is correct. But not otherwise.

Sure, each of them can do certain tasks that the other is designed for in a better way. For example, the iPad Pro can let you make presentations like the Surface Pro 4. But can it reach the same level of productivity in that regard? Of course not!. That's ONE of the reasons why both aren't direct rivals. Because by your logic, can I compare a $4000 car with a new iMac 5k? Absolutely. But, when looking at them overall, does the comparison seem sensible?

Nope, that is a bad example you gave there.
We are talking about tablets.

Both are tablets, one running full Desktop OS, the other is just running IOS.
Sure it looks good, and is better buy than all of the android tablets out there. But the moment you price it as the Surface Pro 4 which is also a tablet, then you need to compare it with it. That is just pure logic.

Therefor if i wanna buy a good tablet without paying the hefty price of a Surface, i'll go with the normal IPAD, but i would never pay for this over grown tablet the same price as the surface, then i'll go and pick up a surface pro 4 tablet. That is common sense.

The reason I gave that 'bad example'was to show that your logic cannot be applied anywhere. Even though both can act as tablets, both are largely different due to the hardware and software. As I already stated, both can do each other's work but each one is suited for different purposes, better. And iOS and WIndows have drastic differences aside from being for different platforms. And yes, it is sensible to compare them in daily life when you wanna know which is a better buy for the price while considering your own needs at the same time. But, when you look at them without considering yourselves, then you will know that they aren't direct rivals.

What you said is right, as it takes into consideration the user. But I doing quite the opposite, that's why my statements might seem incorrect to you. Though tey don't seem as such to me.

This probably won’t happen but I’d hope they re-review it for iOS 11. I’m using the beta on the brand new 12.9” and even in beta format it’s a massive, massive upgrade (and surprisingly stable). With the right accessories it really can replace a laptop now, for anyone who isn’t a power user anyways. Only thing I miss is my emulators.

I'm not an apple fan but I agree this new iPad deserves atleast a 9/10. It looks like a pretty great device, and this is the only iPad that made me really think of getting one, and I really might get one, not as a laptop replacement though but as a multimedia device and a drawing tablet.

The display (mostly for media) is the most important part of a tablet ....Tab S3's AMOLED capable of HDR video playback for true-to-life view and it's quad-speaker system by AKG/HARMAN can easily blow any of the iPad out..
Fast charging , Micro SD card support , S Pen , better battery backup and more premium built with best look and feel is a plus for me.

Yes, Windows powered Galaxy Book and surface are best overall tablets....
iPad feels lamb, for both productivity and media.

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